Google in $1bn deal to buy Central Saint Giles offices in London

Google has announced a $1bn (£871m) deal to buy the London development Central Saint Giles, calling the move a show of confidence in the return to more office working.

The US tech firm currently rents space in the brightly coloured development designed by the architect Renzo Piano, which is located in the centre of the capital, near Oxford Street.

After the purchase, Google will have space for 10,000 employees in the UK, a significant increase on the 6,400 staff it currently has in the country, 700 of whom joined the company over the past year. The company has offices in London and Manchester.

The main structural works are expected to be finished this year, and once completed it will stand 11 storeys tall, boasting a 25-metre swimming pool, indoor basketball court and massage rooms as well as a roof garden.

Despite the rise of home working during the Covid pandemic, Google reaffirmed its commitment to the project in summer 2020.

Post-Covid, Google will operate a hybrid workplace model, with staff splitting their time between the office and another location, and spending on average three days a week at their desks. Staff are also allowed to request working entirely remotely, although this will not be possible for all roles.